August 30, 2024 • 28 mins
How do high-tech toilets, virtual marriages, and sumo wrestlers making babies cry fit into the same conversation? In this SisterVibes episode, we explore Japan's quirky and unique culture, discussing everything from its distinct office practices to Godzilla's place in society. Tune in for more intriguing conversations.
Thanks for listening! Don't forget to review SisterVibes and subscribe so you won't miss our upcoming episodes.
Follow us on Instagram @sistervibes_podcast.
Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2279605
Big shoutout to Allison Gray for generously granting us permission to feature her song, "Off My Mind" (from Ep 05).
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Three sisters in three continents, three
realities and three perspectives.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
I'm Keio, I'm Tomomi and I'm Sumi.
We all moved to Ohio from Japanfor our dad's job, but as
adults we all live in differentcountries.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Welcome to Sister Vibes.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Hey guys welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
So today we thought it would be interesting to talk
about some of the unique thingsthat are accepted or that occurs
or happens in Japan thatdoesn't in any other countries,
and we compiled some lists ofwhat we actually didn't compile,
but we researched some of thethings that are unique in Japan.
(00:58):
Okay, one of the unique thingsin Japan is the elaborate
toilets that exist, morespecifically, the very popular
brand Toto.
It is a water saving toilet.
There's a faucet sink builtinto the top of the refill tank
that's activated when the toiletis flushed and this uses the
(01:18):
water to refill the tank as ameans to wash one's hands first,
thereby saving water and spacein the process.
And I actually have this smarttoilet in my home in the US,
which is very, very unheard ofand unique, but it just came
with the house.
I didn't order it, but it doeshave fun buttons on there that I
have not really actually tried.
(01:40):
I've never even tried in Japaneither, at home, have you guys?
No, you mean the bidet Built,bidet built things and what else
Drying?
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Oh, I've never used that either Is there a drying?
Speaker 2 (01:52):
I think there's drying.
Yeah, there is, there's also acleaning function.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
So, like for female, there's a button for female,
what?
Which basically cleans your,you know, targets the private
parts of women.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
The right area basically cleans your you know
targets the private parts ofwomen.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
The right area, really.
Do you guys remember, though,first time you ever encountered
it?
What do you mean?
It was a lot at obaachanji'shouse yeah that was the first
time.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
That was the first one.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
yeah, I've ever seen and I used to be really scared
of it because I don't know whyand I think she's had it.
I mean, they've had it, forthis is our dad's parents ever
since I can.
They've had it, for this is ourdad's parents Ever since I can
remember.
They've had it and I have never.
I was always scared of itbecause I'm not sure, Like when
you press the button, especiallyfor you know, when the water
splashes to clean the areas, itmakes a noise and then this
(02:39):
thing comes out Like a littlehose type thing.
Like the nozzle, yeah, and soI've heard of it.
I mean, I think I tried it onceand I think I like stopped it
because I got scared, but Ithink I must have been like you
know, eight or nine or something.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
but if you think about it, I guess it's
eco-friendly because you don'twaste paper, but also it really
cleans better.
Yeah, I really should be usingit If.
I have it.
I'll try it and let you guysknow how it goes, Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Yeah, but I remember first encountering it there.
This must have been when wewere.
It was like in the 80s,probably mid 80s to you know,
late 80s or something, I think,growing up in our house in Japan
.
We didn't have one 80s orsomething, I think, growing up
in our house in japan we didn'thave one, but I think after we
came back or, sumi, when youwent back with our parents, I
(03:31):
think that's when they must haverenewed it or something they
must have like done, renovationand things yeah, and now when we
go home, there are buttons inboth of the toilets.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
I think right or Right, or at least one of them
Ours opens up at home rightAutomatically In Japan or no, I
don't remember Somebody, I thinkwith the kids Maybe it's ojijin
and wachans that automaticallyopens.
One of them did and the kidswere freaking out.
Our old house did Okay.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
And it's weird too, because when you sit on it it's
warm, it's nice in the winterperhaps, but it just kind of
gives you that eerie feeling alittle bit.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Yeah because the seats are warm, yeah, constantly
, and the one we have at thehouse.
It just feels so weird becauseit feels like someone used it,
like right before I sat down.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Well, you can turn it off.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
I think you can, and again, I haven't explored with a
remote yet but, and also, likeit was talking about water
saving, it's because the faucetis attached to the top.
After you wash your hands withit, that water you used fills up
the bowl, yeah, which is asmart design yeah, and you have
to wash your hands like oh andquickly, and you can choose.
(04:43):
Did you poop or did you notflush?
Oh yeah, in japan, so obviouslyyou need more water to flush
bigger things but I feel likethat's more common everywhere.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
I mean, we have two buttons too, yeah oh, or even
like flushing like you know, inthe us, forward, backwards.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
I don't, I don't think in the us, oh uh, okay,
not that I know of, but maybe,maybe oh, another thing.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
If you go to a public restroom in japan, they have
these little button that you canpush where the music comes out
oh, yeah, yeah it's supposed tohide the sound that you're
making, although it doesn'treally hide anything.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Well, what I noticed when I went back to japan last
time was not music, but likeconstant sound of someone peeing
, like almost every publicrestroom I went to.
Are you sure that people werenot?
I don't think it's supposed tobe a sound of being okay.
Well, it sounds like someone'sflushing the toilet constantly,
like like that oh, and then Inoticed in almost every bathroom
(05:49):
.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
You know it's like oh , maybe it's not this flushing
sound, maybe it's like awaterfall or something whatever
it is, it sounds like someone'sconstantly being it's not really
music that kind of defeats thepurpose well, like then, no one
knows, is it your pee or is itthat sound?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
I don't know, you know.
Whatever, it is all right.
Can we talk about somethingother things that are unique on
the list for me?
Speaker 1 (06:12):
oh, yes, yes, um, another unique thing about japan
there are a lot of unique cafes, like a cat cafe, a dog cafe,
an owl cafe, where you go in,you get a drink and you can sit
down and you can hang out withcats or dogs or owls.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Yeah, and I know that's super popular for
foreigners when they go to japan.
They're like we can experiencethis.
Like I said, we did see one inhawaii, but you know there's a
lot of japanese people in hawaii, so it's not surprising.
But the wait list was so long.
The kids really wanted to, butwe we couldn't do it.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
It seems like they also have, like manga cafe oh
yeah, manga cafe other specificthings like cuddling cafe, which
sounds kind of interesting orinsane, but I guess this is for
male customers where you could Idon't want to say rent, because
it's a person but you pay moneyto ladies who would cuddle with
(07:09):
you in bed.
For I can't remember theduration, I think it was like 10
minutes to 10 hours orsomething, or was it 40 minutes
10 hours seems long and otherrenting things we want to talk
about.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Like you can rent a family if you're lonely, rent a
family, rent a friend, rent aboyfriend, rent an obasan,
apparently, which is like anolder lady who will cook and
clean your place.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Oh, and there's a service where you can rent a
person who does nothing likeliterally nothing.
Yeah, but what's the point ofrenting somebody like that?
Well, I'm guessing you know,build a space a little bit, yeah
, if you're feeling lonely maybethey feel more secure, like who
would rent someone like that ornot who?
But like what's the purpose?
Maybe people who are lonely?
(07:59):
Or just want someone?
Speaker 2 (08:01):
to talk with some company.
Yeah, like you know, I don'tcare to be by myself.
You know, like I always want tobe around noise and stuff, so
yeah, people like her.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Yeah, to go back to this cuddling cafe.
I guess you know they can't doanything funny, like no funny
business, but they just laythere and you just have somebody
cuddle you.
I guess it is kind of like youknow it's a service.
Other interesting things Kory,I can't remember when I read
this A few years back, there wasan article about this Japanese
(08:34):
man marrying a virtual characternamed Hatsune Miku.
She is a virtual character whoI I think appears in games or
something like this.
She's also an artist, butartist as a virtual singer
(08:54):
virtual.
Yeah, so she apparently hastoured with lady gaga.
I don't know how that exactlyworks.
I'm sure I think these virtualconcerts are getting also more
popular, but hologram.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
I think it exists in the US, but are you talking
about actual, like you seephysically, a robot?
Speaker 1 (09:13):
No, no, so it's virtual.
I was reading that this manmarried this virtual character
named Hatsune Miku.
I was like okay, first of all,how does that work?
2017, when this guy got married?
But I guess there is a servicewhere you can get married to a
virtual character and this guyapparently married this virtual
(09:35):
character.
But because it's virtual, youdon't physically marry to
someone, but he has, like a livedoll that's, as, I think, as
tall as us, that he kind ofmoves around dresses and so if
he's like eating dinner, hewould just let her sit across
from him and he interacts likeshe's interacting with him and I
(09:59):
wonder, I wonder what happenswith inheritance, like when he
dies.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Is the wife going to get the money?
Speaker 1 (10:09):
The virtual character , the virtual character, or
where does the money go?
I don't know actually.
Yeah, I'm not sure how thatworks.
And also, well, see, you know,it's not official marriage, like
people marriage, but it's justthrough this company that you
can do this and you can get amarriage certificate.
Yes, that's can do this and youcan get a marriage certificate.
(10:29):
Yes, that's from this company.
I saw this short video of himtaking her to the restaurants,
to the park, I mean, he's likeliterally carrying her around
everywhere.
Wasn't there a movie aboutsomething like that?
I have no idea, but I would notbe surprised because this
sounds, you know, you justwonder what?
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Apparently, there's 4,000 Japanese people that have
married virtual characters.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
So yeah, and I think, there are multiple men who have
married this particularcharacter because obviously
she's virtual, she's accessibleto a lot of people, so like, do
they communicate back?
Speaker 2 (11:04):
No, they don't.
You know what.
Sorry, maybe they do.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Maybe you can program it.
So apparently, he fell in lovewith this character and it was
only possible that he was ableto interact with the character
back in 2017.
Do you know anything aboutGatebox?
It's a machine that alloweddevice owners to interact with
characters through holograms.
What's going on?
I don't know, and I think shehas certain phrases that she can
(11:33):
say yeah, pre-programmedphrases probably yeah, yeah, and
then he later on proposed toher and then she replied so I'm
not sure actually how this works.
I have to do a little bit moreresearch, but it's very
intriguing.
Maybe in this works I have todo a little bit more research,
but it's very intriguing.
Maybe in the next episode Icould talk a little bit more
after I dig in a little bitdeeper, because it's a little
(11:56):
fascinating well, I foundanother unique one.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
It's naki sumo baby crying contest.
Naki means crying, yeah socrying sumo baby contest exists
in japan, supposedly.
Um, it's a unique event forbabies.
Whoever's baby cries theloudest and probably the longest
wins the contest.
And uh, that is so bizarre.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
But why is this called sumo?
Do they actually do wrestlingapparently?
Speaker 2 (12:26):
sumo wrestlers.
Hold these babies, oh, dressedin dressed in baby sumo outfits,
and make them cry.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Make them cry like it says that it's like a crying
contest for babies.
I wonder how what they do tomake the babies cry like, do
they?
Speaker 2 (12:43):
well it says.
Sometimes among the techniquesused to make the babies cry
include putting on a scary maskto freak them out or yelling in
their faces oh my gosh, this isso wrong.
Oh geez, that's a bit harsh,but they said it's all worth it.
(13:04):
They think it's all worth it,apparently, because the best
crier that wins is ensured along, healthy life.
That's how they see it, I guess.
Hopefully, it doesn't traumatizethem yeah, and who actually
attends these festivals?
You know, yeah, to watch thesebabies cry like that's so wrong.
What if they're traumatizedafter that?
Speaker 1 (13:25):
I would be yeah maybe they don't remember do you
remember anything from thebabies?
Speaker 2 (13:28):
I don't know.
I wonder if you have to be acertain age to qualify for the
baby crying contest, you know?
Like they have to be babies,yeah, maybe like 18 months and
younger.
Yeah, but that just sounds sowrong.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
So, sumi, um, do you know if I feel like that the
sleeping at the office isaccepted, not like sleeping
randomly, but more as like a napto rejuvenate?
Yeah, I feel like.
I mean, some companiesencourage you to take like a
short nap, like 15 to 20 minuteshort nap, like a power nap.
(14:04):
Yeah, really.
So this is during working hoursand they say that it's supposed
to improve efficiency of yourwork.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
So wait, do they like put up a sign saying napping?
Speaker 1 (14:18):
no, they just put their heads down on their desk
or they go to.
Well, some companies haveplaces where they can actually
lay down and sleep or like maybethey're working too much yeah,
that too maybe they need toreduce the hours, but instead of
taking a nap, yeah, but youknow, in spain they have siesta,
so that's like a time that theytake out of their daily lives
(14:40):
for, like I think a few hourswhat's a siesta?
like sleeping, napping sleep butthey take like few hours out of
their day, their working day.
But wait, wait, wait, isn'tthis?
the whole country, though theentire country, yeah, so
everything shuts down, like eventhe stores and I have friends
in spain, in mallorca, and whenwe visited them they actually
(15:03):
said oh, it's nap time and theyliterally laid down to go to
sleep.
I mean, we were with them, twofriends, and then their friends,
they, we were outside somewhereand they were all napping and I
was like, oh my gosh, this isreal.
It's like every, every day,every day yeah, so what if
you're like?
Speaker 2 (15:19):
so they actually so.
Do you know the exact hours ofsiesta?
I don't 12 to 3 or something, Idon't yeah something like this.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
But so they actually a lot of people leave the office
and they come back to theoffice in the afternoon and they
that's why their dinners arepushed back, because the working
hours don't wrap up until laterin the evening, but the people
in Japan take naps at the office.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
I mean yeah some do.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
I mean, I used to take naps, but are the rooms
like isolated from where you'reworking or what?
What is this room?
Well, my company didn't have aroom like that, but I know that
some companies do, and if theydo, there's like a certain room
specifically for people takingnaps.
Oh wow.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
What if, like someone , abuses the system and takes a
nap?
I'm sure some do.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Every few hours, I'm sure a lot do.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
I mean, I guess at that point they should be fired.
You already took two naps.
You're on your third one today.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
I cannot see people in Japan to actually abuse
system like this.
No, I'm sure there's people whodo that.
I mean, I would, if you know,if I'm not getting caught.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Somebody talk about this one.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Godzilla is an official citizen of Japan, okay.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
How is that possible that Godzilla is an official
citizen of Japan, is there?
Speaker 1 (16:35):
like I wonder if there's like an official address
of where he lives.
I have no idea.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
It's granted citizenship to its biggest
resident yet, who only goes byone name Godzilla Godzilla Wait.
His citizenship also came witha job offer.
Godzilla became the tourismambassador for the shinjuku ward
, which is the least he can do,considering he has destroyed the
region in three of his films ohmy gosh wait.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Now that I think about it, I I feel like I've
seen godzilla in shinjuku youmean as a, like a sculpture, a
citizen.
You've seen the citizen.
He has a citizen.
No, yeah, as a sculpture, butis the sit okay?
I have too many questions.
Is the citizen like?
Does it have a passport?
I mean, how can it fit up?
But it won't be able to fit onan airplane, right?
Speaker 2 (17:28):
yeah, but just to say he has one like a picture of
Godzilla, like in the passporthow old is he?
Speaker 1 (17:35):
yeah, what are the rights for this Godzilla?
I don't know I bet he's.
I feel like he's super oldright because the movie's been
around.
Is he getting paid?
Is he paying taxes, like whatis he doing?
I would like to know.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
I wonder how much he gets paid that's the least he
can do because he's destroyedthat's funny.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
I know that kit kats there are so many different
flavors in your home and I feellike I see them also in some of
the asian stores here not verylike not all the flavors right
some of them, but them.
But, sumi, do you know like,can you name some of the flavors
?
I know I've seen, like greentea of course, but I feel like
that's more in the common.
(18:15):
What are some of the uniqueones?
Amazake Sake, Like sweet sake,yeah, sweet sake flavored.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Whoa.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
I know there's cheesecake, so do you know if
that contains alcohol or it'sjust the taste?
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Probably the taste right.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
I mean, can you make alcohol, okay, alcoholic?
Well, there are some snackslike chocolates that have
alcohol in them.
That's true.
I was going to say so maybe.
Yeah, like it oozes outchocolate with Okay Maybe.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Yeah, but I know that kit kats are popular gifts.
Yeah, like the, is it limitededition they come out, or is it
year-round or available?
Speaker 1 (18:57):
I feel like there's two versions, so one is like um
limited time and one is limitedto specific region.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
Oh, that reminds me in the us, or was it just the us
?
I mean not us in japan, and Idon't know if it's just in japan
.
No, I think they did it in theus too.
Coca-cola did like um your name, right, like you can, oh yeah
yeah on it.
I think that was worldwide nowthat I think about it.
I think it was here in the ustoo, although I don't think I
(19:27):
would ever find my name in theUS.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
The thing is I'll never find my name in Japan.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
For real, there's.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
Sumire.
Right yeah, there's Sumire, butnot Sumire, and I've never met
someone whose name is.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Sumire.
Well, kaori and Tomomi are verycommon.
But I mean nowadays it's liketrendy for parents to name their
kids like some foreign soundingnames.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
Okay, I know that there's one of the names Pikachu
.
Pikachu is one of the names,like someone named their child
Pikachu.
Are you serious?
And you can write it in thecharacters?
Speaker 2 (20:11):
I've heard that in the US someone with the last
name Lee named their first childtheir child's name, brock, so
it's Brock Lee poor thing, Iknow right Elon Musk's child's
name is like symbols.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
That's so funny symbols like it's yeah, it's
like it has symbols, and youknow, it doesn't, I can't
remember, I can't.
It has a name.
It's just like you can'tpronounce it.
Yeah, nobody.
I feel like, oh, you mean, ifyou look at it, you just don't
know how to pronounce it.
It's like consisting symbols.
How come?
I didn't know about this.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
That's so weird, but I think he goes by X or
something like that that isunique.
Okay, that is unique, yes, thatis unique, so you can't type
his name, basically, unless youhave those symbols.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
So here are some of the Kit Kat flavors Sakura mochi
cherry blossom mochi flavor.
Sakura sake yeah, ew.
Cherry blossom sake flavor.
Peach sake Ew.
Cherry blossom sake flavor,peach parfait.
Japanese plum Ocean salt.
Ocean Sea salt.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Salt, lychee Salt and lemon, premium mint, ew, citrus
mint, peach mint.
Summer ice cream, cookies andcream.
Ice cream, sweet potato.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Chestnuts.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
Ew apple pie, apple cinnamon, cafe au lait, mont
blanc milk tea, oh my goshthat's a lot of different
flavors.
I mean, it's kind of like umhaving like ice cream flavors,
you know, in the us what haveyou tried to me?
Speaker 2 (21:46):
like any unique ones, kit kat you like the original.
I just like the original matcha.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
You've tried matcha no, no, I don't like matcha.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
What Matcha flavored keke?
Or yeah, what's wrong with you?
No, matcha.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
I don't like anything matcha flavored, or I don't
even like matcha.
What Keiko?
Speaker 2 (22:05):
and Emika.
I like green tea.
Emika, emika, love matcha.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
I mean.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
I love green tea.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
Yeah, matcha is like a matcha.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
It's pure powder.
I mean, it's too bitter for me.
Yeah, I mean I understand ifit's like matcha, like you
actually drink it straightmatcha because it is bitter.
There's nothing added in whichis definitely different than
green tea, but you don't likeflavored either.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
No, no, no, no, no.
Like I don't like strawberrieseither.
No, no, no, no.
Like I don't like strawberries,but I like what you don't like
strawberries.
That is crazy.
I don't care for strawberriestoo much too.
I mean, I'll eat them, but Idon't care for them too much.
I'd rather have other berrieslike blackberries, blueberries,
raspberries I mean I don't hatethem, though I feel that way
about bananas, like I don't careto eat bananas, but I I like
banana-flavored things.
Okay, I have to talk aboutanother thing before we end it
(23:01):
Crooked teeth are a fashionstatement in Japan.
Yes, anyone who has battledthrough the stigma of wearing
braces.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
What was it?
Speaker 3 (23:11):
When the tooth is up here.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
I used to have it and I know that when I was growing
up it was looked at as like cutething.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Yeah, it says.
In Japan, however, there's agrowing trend among young women
for Yaiba Caps on the canines,which lends their smell kind of
crowded, crooked appearance,yeah, so it's Yaiba.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Yeah, it's basically the way that my tooth was.
It was just only on one side,it was above all the other teeth
.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Yeah yeah, yeah, so they removed it in the US right
when you did braces I have bigteeth with small mouth.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
And what they did was at the time I think I was 14,
they basically looked at it andsaid, okay, we're going to just
pull teeth out from uh, back ofyour, of your mouth.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
So they pulled four, two above to below, and then
they basically pushed it down,okay yeah, keiko has the same
problem like crowded for hersmall head too much, you know,
and there's no room.
So they had to extract someteeth.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Yeah, so that's exactly what I did.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
Okay, so the train delays in Japan doesn't happen
very often and apparently itmakes national headlines when it
does, by probably even by aminute, is what I'm assuming.
Sumi, I know that you takepublic transportation very often
because you don't have driver'slicense, or you don't have a
(24:39):
car that you drive particularlyWell, I guess, because you don't
have a license.
But is that true?
Like they're always on time?
I think we talked about thisbriefly before.
They are always on time.
Yes, most of the time, but Iguess if it's like five minutes
late, that is a huge deal ifit's five minutes late.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
Oh my goodness you're probably like wait, did I miss
it when I blinked like did itfor five?
Speaker 1 (25:08):
minutes or, like you know, the central places in
Tokyo, then a train comes likeevery few minutes.
So if you miss one train, Imean it's okay because there's
another one coming.
But if the one particular trainis delayed, all the other you
know the trains that's supposedto come after that train they're
all delayed by five minutes,yeah.
(25:30):
Which is not very much, but Iguess that's considered delay
and they issue official delaycertificates that you can take
to work or school to prove thatit wasn't your fault for being
late, it was the train's fault.
Do you think that when you werein the office like they would
(25:51):
really like watch what time youcome in to the office, like were
they very strict?
Speaker 2 (25:56):
well, the places I've worked in it's not very strict
you can't blame the train forbeing late, because it's never
late, boss, would be like you'relying sometimes it's delayed,
oh yeah, yeah, but then you haveto get like, but it's only like
certificate, five minutes, I'msure, like a doctor's note for
train being late.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
Yeah, yeah, where do you get these certificates?
At the station you?
Are excused for being late, butthen there's a long line for
getting that certificate.
It causes more delay.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Have you ever had to get one?
Yeah?
Multiple times, that's so funnyBecause you have to be on time
at work too Well.
You have to be on time at worktoo well.
You have to be like 10 minutesbefore or before yeah so if
you're on time, you better havethat excuse note.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
Yep, geez but when did you have to get it?
Like what situations?
Speaker 3 (26:46):
when the train was late.
Doctors like when the train waslate.
What did you get it?
Speaker 1 (26:49):
for work, yeah, for work, I was oh my gosh, they
better be issuing certificatesand it's such a waste of time
and paper to print all that.
Such an effort.
Yeah, but you know they have,like it's common for companies
in Japan to have morningmeetings like chōren, oh right,
like where we all stand up andthen we say, like, good morning,
(27:11):
this is what we're going to bedoing today.
Blah, blah, blah.
Oh yeah, if you're late forthat.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
That's the whole company Right.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
Yeah, oh wow, if you walk in while they're doing that
, it's so awkward, mm-hmm.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
Very interesting.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
Thanks for joining us today.
Don't forget to review SisterVibes and make sure to subscribe
on the app of your choice soyou don't miss our upcoming
episodes.
Until next time, Ja ne.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
Live with yourself and all of these games you play.
I should have seen through itRight from the start, but I
chose to give it all away andnow I'm sitting here, broken
hearted, want to come and giveme a break, cause I've been
(27:59):
waiting for so long for someoneto rescue me.
And if you continue to hold myheart.
Three sisters in three continents, three
realities and three perspectives.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
I'm Keio, I'm Tomomi and I'm Sumi.
We all moved to Ohio from Japanfor our dad's job, but as
adults we all live in differentcountries.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Welcome to Sister Vibes.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Hey guys welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
So today we thought it would be interesting to talk
about some of the unique thingsthat are accepted or that occurs
or happens in Japan thatdoesn't in any other countries,
and we compiled some lists ofwhat we actually didn't compile,
but we researched some of thethings that are unique in Japan.
(00:58):
Okay, one of the unique thingsin Japan is the elaborate
toilets that exist, morespecifically, the very popular
brand Toto.
It is a water saving toilet.
There's a faucet sink builtinto the top of the refill tank
that's activated when the toiletis flushed and this uses the
(01:18):
water to refill the tank as ameans to wash one's hands first,
thereby saving water and spacein the process.
And I actually have this smarttoilet in my home in the US,
which is very, very unheard ofand unique, but it just came
with the house.
I didn't order it, but it doeshave fun buttons on there that I
have not really actually tried.
(01:40):
I've never even tried in Japaneither, at home, have you guys?
No, you mean the bidet Built,bidet built things and what else
Drying?
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Oh, I've never used that either Is there a drying?
Speaker 2 (01:52):
I think there's drying.
Yeah, there is, there's also acleaning function.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
So, like for female, there's a button for female,
what?
Which basically cleans your,you know, targets the private
parts of women.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
The right area basically cleans your you know
targets the private parts ofwomen.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
The right area, really.
Do you guys remember, though,first time you ever encountered
it?
What do you mean?
It was a lot at obaachanji'shouse yeah that was the first
time.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
That was the first one.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
yeah, I've ever seen and I used to be really scared
of it because I don't know whyand I think she's had it.
I mean, they've had it, forthis is our dad's parents ever
since I can.
They've had it, for this is ourdad's parents Ever since I can
remember.
They've had it and I have never.
I was always scared of itbecause I'm not sure, Like when
you press the button, especiallyfor you know, when the water
splashes to clean the areas, itmakes a noise and then this
(02:39):
thing comes out Like a littlehose type thing.
Like the nozzle, yeah, and soI've heard of it.
I mean, I think I tried it onceand I think I like stopped it
because I got scared, but Ithink I must have been like you
know, eight or nine or something.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
but if you think about it, I guess it's
eco-friendly because you don'twaste paper, but also it really
cleans better.
Yeah, I really should be usingit If.
I have it.
I'll try it and let you guysknow how it goes, Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Yeah, but I remember first encountering it there.
This must have been when wewere.
It was like in the 80s,probably mid 80s to you know,
late 80s or something, I think,growing up in our house in Japan
.
We didn't have one 80s orsomething, I think, growing up
in our house in japan we didn'thave one, but I think after we
came back or, sumi, when youwent back with our parents, I
(03:31):
think that's when they must haverenewed it or something they
must have like done, renovationand things yeah, and now when we
go home, there are buttons inboth of the toilets.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
I think right or Right, or at least one of them
Ours opens up at home rightAutomatically In Japan or no, I
don't remember Somebody, I thinkwith the kids Maybe it's ojijin
and wachans that automaticallyopens.
One of them did and the kidswere freaking out.
Our old house did Okay.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
And it's weird too, because when you sit on it it's
warm, it's nice in the winterperhaps, but it just kind of
gives you that eerie feeling alittle bit.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Yeah because the seats are warm, yeah, constantly
, and the one we have at thehouse.
It just feels so weird becauseit feels like someone used it,
like right before I sat down.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Well, you can turn it off.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
I think you can, and again, I haven't explored with a
remote yet but, and also, likeit was talking about water
saving, it's because the faucetis attached to the top.
After you wash your hands withit, that water you used fills up
the bowl, yeah, which is asmart design yeah, and you have
to wash your hands like oh andquickly, and you can choose.
(04:43):
Did you poop or did you notflush?
Oh yeah, in japan, so obviouslyyou need more water to flush
bigger things but I feel likethat's more common everywhere.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
I mean, we have two buttons too, yeah oh, or even
like flushing like you know, inthe us, forward, backwards.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
I don't, I don't think in the us, oh uh, okay,
not that I know of, but maybe,maybe oh, another thing.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
If you go to a public restroom in japan, they have
these little button that you canpush where the music comes out
oh, yeah, yeah it's supposed tohide the sound that you're
making, although it doesn'treally hide anything.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Well, what I noticed when I went back to japan last
time was not music, but likeconstant sound of someone peeing
, like almost every publicrestroom I went to.
Are you sure that people werenot?
I don't think it's supposed tobe a sound of being okay.
Well, it sounds like someone'sflushing the toilet constantly,
like like that oh, and then Inoticed in almost every bathroom
(05:49):
.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
You know it's like oh , maybe it's not this flushing
sound, maybe it's like awaterfall or something whatever
it is, it sounds like someone'sconstantly being it's not really
music that kind of defeats thepurpose well, like then, no one
knows, is it your pee or is itthat sound?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
I don't know, you know.
Whatever, it is all right.
Can we talk about somethingother things that are unique on
the list for me?
Speaker 1 (06:12):
oh, yes, yes, um, another unique thing about japan
there are a lot of unique cafes, like a cat cafe, a dog cafe,
an owl cafe, where you go in,you get a drink and you can sit
down and you can hang out withcats or dogs or owls.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Yeah, and I know that's super popular for
foreigners when they go to japan.
They're like we can experiencethis.
Like I said, we did see one inhawaii, but you know there's a
lot of japanese people in hawaii, so it's not surprising.
But the wait list was so long.
The kids really wanted to, butwe we couldn't do it.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
It seems like they also have, like manga cafe oh
yeah, manga cafe other specificthings like cuddling cafe, which
sounds kind of interesting orinsane, but I guess this is for
male customers where you could Idon't want to say rent, because
it's a person but you pay moneyto ladies who would cuddle with
(07:09):
you in bed.
For I can't remember theduration, I think it was like 10
minutes to 10 hours orsomething, or was it 40 minutes
10 hours seems long and otherrenting things we want to talk
about.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Like you can rent a family if you're lonely, rent a
family, rent a friend, rent aboyfriend, rent an obasan,
apparently, which is like anolder lady who will cook and
clean your place.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Oh, and there's a service where you can rent a
person who does nothing likeliterally nothing.
Yeah, but what's the point ofrenting somebody like that?
Well, I'm guessing you know,build a space a little bit, yeah
, if you're feeling lonely maybethey feel more secure, like who
would rent someone like that ornot who?
But like what's the purpose?
Maybe people who are lonely?
(07:59):
Or just want someone?
Speaker 2 (08:01):
to talk with some company.
Yeah, like you know, I don'tcare to be by myself.
You know, like I always want tobe around noise and stuff, so
yeah, people like her.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Yeah, to go back to this cuddling cafe.
I guess you know they can't doanything funny, like no funny
business, but they just laythere and you just have somebody
cuddle you.
I guess it is kind of like youknow it's a service.
Other interesting things Kory,I can't remember when I read
this A few years back, there wasan article about this Japanese
(08:34):
man marrying a virtual characternamed Hatsune Miku.
She is a virtual character whoI I think appears in games or
something like this.
She's also an artist, butartist as a virtual singer
(08:54):
virtual.
Yeah, so she apparently hastoured with lady gaga.
I don't know how that exactlyworks.
I'm sure I think these virtualconcerts are getting also more
popular, but hologram.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
I think it exists in the US, but are you talking
about actual, like you seephysically, a robot?
Speaker 1 (09:13):
No, no, so it's virtual.
I was reading that this manmarried this virtual character
named Hatsune Miku.
I was like okay, first of all,how does that work?
2017, when this guy got married?
But I guess there is a servicewhere you can get married to a
virtual character and this guyapparently married this virtual
(09:35):
character.
But because it's virtual, youdon't physically marry to
someone, but he has, like a livedoll that's, as, I think, as
tall as us, that he kind ofmoves around dresses and so if
he's like eating dinner, hewould just let her sit across
from him and he interacts likeshe's interacting with him and I
(09:59):
wonder, I wonder what happenswith inheritance, like when he
dies.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Is the wife going to get the money?
Speaker 1 (10:09):
The virtual character , the virtual character, or
where does the money go?
I don't know actually.
Yeah, I'm not sure how thatworks.
And also, well, see, you know,it's not official marriage, like
people marriage, but it's justthrough this company that you
can do this and you can get amarriage certificate.
Yes, that's can do this and youcan get a marriage certificate.
(10:29):
Yes, that's from this company.
I saw this short video of himtaking her to the restaurants,
to the park, I mean, he's likeliterally carrying her around
everywhere.
Wasn't there a movie aboutsomething like that?
I have no idea, but I would notbe surprised because this
sounds, you know, you justwonder what?
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Apparently, there's 4,000 Japanese people that have
married virtual characters.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
So yeah, and I think, there are multiple men who have
married this particularcharacter because obviously
she's virtual, she's accessibleto a lot of people, so like, do
they communicate back?
Speaker 2 (11:04):
No, they don't.
You know what.
Sorry, maybe they do.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
Maybe you can program it.
So apparently, he fell in lovewith this character and it was
only possible that he was ableto interact with the character
back in 2017.
Do you know anything aboutGatebox?
It's a machine that alloweddevice owners to interact with
characters through holograms.
What's going on?
I don't know, and I think shehas certain phrases that she can
(11:33):
say yeah, pre-programmedphrases probably yeah, yeah, and
then he later on proposed toher and then she replied so I'm
not sure actually how this works.
I have to do a little bit moreresearch, but it's very
intriguing.
Maybe in this works I have todo a little bit more research,
but it's very intriguing.
Maybe in the next episode Icould talk a little bit more
after I dig in a little bitdeeper, because it's a little
(11:56):
fascinating well, I foundanother unique one.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
It's naki sumo baby crying contest.
Naki means crying, yeah socrying sumo baby contest exists
in japan, supposedly.
Um, it's a unique event forbabies.
Whoever's baby cries theloudest and probably the longest
wins the contest.
And uh, that is so bizarre.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
But why is this called sumo?
Do they actually do wrestlingapparently?
Speaker 2 (12:26):
sumo wrestlers.
Hold these babies, oh, dressedin dressed in baby sumo outfits,
and make them cry.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Make them cry like it says that it's like a crying
contest for babies.
I wonder how what they do tomake the babies cry like, do
they?
Speaker 2 (12:43):
well it says.
Sometimes among the techniquesused to make the babies cry
include putting on a scary maskto freak them out or yelling in
their faces oh my gosh, this isso wrong.
Oh geez, that's a bit harsh,but they said it's all worth it.
(13:04):
They think it's all worth it,apparently, because the best
crier that wins is ensured along, healthy life.
That's how they see it, I guess.
Hopefully, it doesn't traumatizethem yeah, and who actually
attends these festivals?
You know, yeah, to watch thesebabies cry like that's so wrong.
What if they're traumatizedafter that?
Speaker 1 (13:25):
I would be yeah maybe they don't remember do you
remember anything from thebabies?
Speaker 2 (13:28):
I don't know.
I wonder if you have to be acertain age to qualify for the
baby crying contest, you know?
Like they have to be babies,yeah, maybe like 18 months and
younger.
Yeah, but that just sounds sowrong.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
So, sumi, um, do you know if I feel like that the
sleeping at the office isaccepted, not like sleeping
randomly, but more as like a napto rejuvenate?
Yeah, I feel like.
I mean, some companiesencourage you to take like a
short nap, like 15 to 20 minuteshort nap, like a power nap.
(14:04):
Yeah, really.
So this is during working hoursand they say that it's supposed
to improve efficiency of yourwork.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
So wait, do they like put up a sign saying napping?
Speaker 1 (14:18):
no, they just put their heads down on their desk
or they go to.
Well, some companies haveplaces where they can actually
lay down and sleep or like maybethey're working too much yeah,
that too maybe they need toreduce the hours, but instead of
taking a nap, yeah, but youknow, in spain they have siesta,
so that's like a time that theytake out of their daily lives
(14:40):
for, like I think a few hourswhat's a siesta?
like sleeping, napping sleep butthey take like few hours out of
their day, their working day.
But wait, wait, wait, isn'tthis?
the whole country, though theentire country, yeah, so
everything shuts down, like eventhe stores and I have friends
in spain, in mallorca, and whenwe visited them they actually
(15:03):
said oh, it's nap time and theyliterally laid down to go to
sleep.
I mean, we were with them, twofriends, and then their friends,
they, we were outside somewhereand they were all napping and I
was like, oh my gosh, this isreal.
It's like every, every day,every day yeah, so what if
you're like?
Speaker 2 (15:19):
so they actually so.
Do you know the exact hours ofsiesta?
I don't 12 to 3 or something, Idon't yeah something like this.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
But so they actually a lot of people leave the office
and they come back to theoffice in the afternoon and they
that's why their dinners arepushed back, because the working
hours don't wrap up until laterin the evening, but the people
in Japan take naps at the office.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
I mean yeah some do.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
I mean, I used to take naps, but are the rooms
like isolated from where you'reworking or what?
What is this room?
Well, my company didn't have aroom like that, but I know that
some companies do, and if theydo, there's like a certain room
specifically for people takingnaps.
Oh wow.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
What if, like someone , abuses the system and takes a
nap?
I'm sure some do.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Every few hours, I'm sure a lot do.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
I mean, I guess at that point they should be fired.
You already took two naps.
You're on your third one today.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
I cannot see people in Japan to actually abuse
system like this.
No, I'm sure there's people whodo that.
I mean, I would, if you know,if I'm not getting caught.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Somebody talk about this one.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Godzilla is an official citizen of Japan, okay.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
How is that possible that Godzilla is an official
citizen of Japan, is there?
Speaker 1 (16:35):
like I wonder if there's like an official address
of where he lives.
I have no idea.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
It's granted citizenship to its biggest
resident yet, who only goes byone name Godzilla Godzilla Wait.
His citizenship also came witha job offer.
Godzilla became the tourismambassador for the shinjuku ward
, which is the least he can do,considering he has destroyed the
region in three of his films ohmy gosh wait.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Now that I think about it, I I feel like I've
seen godzilla in shinjuku youmean as a, like a sculpture, a
citizen.
You've seen the citizen.
He has a citizen.
No, yeah, as a sculpture, butis the sit okay?
I have too many questions.
Is the citizen like?
Does it have a passport?
I mean, how can it fit up?
But it won't be able to fit onan airplane, right?
Speaker 2 (17:28):
yeah, but just to say he has one like a picture of
Godzilla, like in the passporthow old is he?
Speaker 1 (17:35):
yeah, what are the rights for this Godzilla?
I don't know I bet he's.
I feel like he's super oldright because the movie's been
around.
Is he getting paid?
Is he paying taxes, like whatis he doing?
I would like to know.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
I wonder how much he gets paid that's the least he
can do because he's destroyedthat's funny.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
I know that kit kats there are so many different
flavors in your home and I feellike I see them also in some of
the asian stores here not verylike not all the flavors right
some of them, but them.
But, sumi, do you know like,can you name some of the flavors
?
I know I've seen, like greentea of course, but I feel like
that's more in the common.
(18:15):
What are some of the uniqueones?
Amazake Sake, Like sweet sake,yeah, sweet sake flavored.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Whoa.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
I know there's cheesecake, so do you know if
that contains alcohol or it'sjust the taste?
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Probably the taste right.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
I mean, can you make alcohol, okay, alcoholic?
Well, there are some snackslike chocolates that have
alcohol in them.
That's true.
I was going to say so maybe.
Yeah, like it oozes outchocolate with Okay Maybe.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Yeah, but I know that kit kats are popular gifts.
Yeah, like the, is it limitededition they come out, or is it
year-round or available?
Speaker 1 (18:57):
I feel like there's two versions, so one is like um
limited time and one is limitedto specific region.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
Oh, that reminds me in the us, or was it just the us
?
I mean not us in japan, and Idon't know if it's just in japan
.
No, I think they did it in theus too.
Coca-cola did like um your name, right, like you can, oh yeah
yeah on it.
I think that was worldwide nowthat I think about it.
I think it was here in the ustoo, although I don't think I
(19:27):
would ever find my name in theUS.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
The thing is I'll never find my name in Japan.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
For real, there's.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
Sumire.
Right yeah, there's Sumire, butnot Sumire, and I've never met
someone whose name is.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Sumire.
Well, kaori and Tomomi are verycommon.
But I mean nowadays it's liketrendy for parents to name their
kids like some foreign soundingnames.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
Okay, I know that there's one of the names Pikachu
.
Pikachu is one of the names,like someone named their child
Pikachu.
Are you serious?
And you can write it in thecharacters?
Speaker 2 (20:11):
I've heard that in the US someone with the last
name Lee named their first childtheir child's name, brock, so
it's Brock Lee poor thing, Iknow right Elon Musk's child's
name is like symbols.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
That's so funny symbols like it's yeah, it's
like it has symbols, and youknow, it doesn't, I can't
remember, I can't.
It has a name.
It's just like you can'tpronounce it.
Yeah, nobody.
I feel like, oh, you mean, ifyou look at it, you just don't
know how to pronounce it.
It's like consisting symbols.
How come?
I didn't know about this.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
That's so weird, but I think he goes by X or
something like that that isunique.
Okay, that is unique, yes, thatis unique, so you can't type
his name, basically, unless youhave those symbols.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
So here are some of the Kit Kat flavors Sakura mochi
cherry blossom mochi flavor.
Sakura sake yeah, ew.
Cherry blossom sake flavor.
Peach sake Ew.
Cherry blossom sake flavor,peach parfait.
Japanese plum Ocean salt.
Ocean Sea salt.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Salt, lychee Salt and lemon, premium mint, ew, citrus
mint, peach mint.
Summer ice cream, cookies andcream.
Ice cream, sweet potato.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Chestnuts.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
Ew apple pie, apple cinnamon, cafe au lait, mont
blanc milk tea, oh my goshthat's a lot of different
flavors.
I mean, it's kind of like umhaving like ice cream flavors,
you know, in the us what haveyou tried to me?
Speaker 2 (21:46):
like any unique ones, kit kat you like the original.
I just like the original matcha.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
You've tried matcha no, no, I don't like matcha.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
What Matcha flavored keke?
Or yeah, what's wrong with you?
No, matcha.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
I don't like anything matcha flavored, or I don't
even like matcha.
What Keiko?
Speaker 2 (22:05):
and Emika.
I like green tea.
Emika, emika, love matcha.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
I mean.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
I love green tea.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
Yeah, matcha is like a matcha.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
It's pure powder.
I mean, it's too bitter for me.
Yeah, I mean I understand ifit's like matcha, like you
actually drink it straightmatcha because it is bitter.
There's nothing added in whichis definitely different than
green tea, but you don't likeflavored either.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
No, no, no, no, no.
Like I don't like strawberrieseither.
No, no, no, no.
Like I don't like strawberries,but I like what you don't like
strawberries.
That is crazy.
I don't care for strawberriestoo much too.
I mean, I'll eat them, but Idon't care for them too much.
I'd rather have other berrieslike blackberries, blueberries,
raspberries I mean I don't hatethem, though I feel that way
about bananas, like I don't careto eat bananas, but I I like
banana-flavored things.
Okay, I have to talk aboutanother thing before we end it
(23:01):
Crooked teeth are a fashionstatement in Japan.
Yes, anyone who has battledthrough the stigma of wearing
braces.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
What was it?
Speaker 3 (23:11):
When the tooth is up here.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
I used to have it and I know that when I was growing
up it was looked at as like cutething.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Yeah, it says.
In Japan, however, there's agrowing trend among young women
for Yaiba Caps on the canines,which lends their smell kind of
crowded, crooked appearance,yeah, so it's Yaiba.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Yeah, it's basically the way that my tooth was.
It was just only on one side,it was above all the other teeth
.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Yeah yeah, yeah, so they removed it in the US right
when you did braces I have bigteeth with small mouth.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
And what they did was at the time I think I was 14,
they basically looked at it andsaid, okay, we're going to just
pull teeth out from uh, back ofyour, of your mouth.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
So they pulled four, two above to below, and then
they basically pushed it down,okay yeah, keiko has the same
problem like crowded for hersmall head too much, you know,
and there's no room.
So they had to extract someteeth.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Yeah, so that's exactly what I did.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
Okay, so the train delays in Japan doesn't happen
very often and apparently itmakes national headlines when it
does, by probably even by aminute, is what I'm assuming.
Sumi, I know that you takepublic transportation very often
because you don't have driver'slicense, or you don't have a
(24:39):
car that you drive particularlyWell, I guess, because you don't
have a license.
But is that true?
Like they're always on time?
I think we talked about thisbriefly before.
They are always on time.
Yes, most of the time, but Iguess if it's like five minutes
late, that is a huge deal ifit's five minutes late.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
Oh my goodness you're probably like wait, did I miss
it when I blinked like did itfor five?
Speaker 1 (25:08):
minutes or, like you know, the central places in
Tokyo, then a train comes likeevery few minutes.
So if you miss one train, Imean it's okay because there's
another one coming.
But if the one particular trainis delayed, all the other you
know the trains that's supposedto come after that train they're
all delayed by five minutes,yeah.
(25:30):
Which is not very much, but Iguess that's considered delay
and they issue official delaycertificates that you can take
to work or school to prove thatit wasn't your fault for being
late, it was the train's fault.
Do you think that when you werein the office like they would
(25:51):
really like watch what time youcome in to the office, like were
they very strict?
Speaker 2 (25:56):
well, the places I've worked in it's not very strict
you can't blame the train forbeing late, because it's never
late, boss, would be like you'relying sometimes it's delayed,
oh yeah, yeah, but then you haveto get like, but it's only like
certificate, five minutes, I'msure, like a doctor's note for
train being late.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
Yeah, yeah, where do you get these certificates?
At the station you?
Are excused for being late, butthen there's a long line for
getting that certificate.
It causes more delay.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Have you ever had to get one?
Yeah?
Multiple times, that's so funnyBecause you have to be on time
at work too Well.
You have to be on time at worktoo well.
You have to be like 10 minutesbefore or before yeah so if
you're on time, you better havethat excuse note.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
Yep, geez but when did you have to get it?
Like what situations?
Speaker 3 (26:46):
when the train was late.
Doctors like when the train waslate.
What did you get it?
Speaker 1 (26:49):
for work, yeah, for work, I was oh my gosh, they
better be issuing certificatesand it's such a waste of time
and paper to print all that.
Such an effort.
Yeah, but you know they have,like it's common for companies
in Japan to have morningmeetings like chōren, oh right,
like where we all stand up andthen we say, like, good morning,
(27:11):
this is what we're going to bedoing today.
Blah, blah, blah.
Oh yeah, if you're late forthat.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
That's the whole company Right.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
Yeah, oh wow, if you walk in while they're doing that
, it's so awkward, mm-hmm.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
Very interesting.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
Thanks for joining us today.
Don't forget to review SisterVibes and make sure to subscribe
on the app of your choice soyou don't miss our upcoming
episodes.
Until next time, Ja ne.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
Live with yourself and all of these games you play.
I should have seen through itRight from the start, but I
chose to give it all away andnow I'm sitting here, broken
hearted, want to come and giveme a break, cause I've been
(27:59):
waiting for so long for someoneto rescue me.
And if you continue to hold myheart.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!